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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
The cover drew me to the book--because the cover is GORGEOUS--but the story is good as well; that said, the multimedia format used within (via the inclusion of text exchanges, emails, letters, news reports, etc.) made it confusing to read in electronic form and often took away from what was, on its on, an important story about family connections being lost and found.
I wasn't particularly interested in the use of a family curse as the means through which Alaine attempts to reconnect with her estranged mother. It was convoluted and, at times, confusing;while I can understand why the Moulite sisters chose to use it as a plot device, it wasn't necessary and took away from Alaine's voice--which, to be honest, was the best part of the book.
Alaine is the only child of immigrant parents. Her mother is a famous journalist and her father is a well-respected therapist within the Miami community. Her parents are long-divorced but have found a way--or so they believe--to successfully co-parent their only child. However, after an embarrassing incident at Alaine's prep school puts her at-risk of derailing her academic career, they decide to send her to Haiti--hoping she'll get her act together and find some humility in the process.
The story is at its best when things are happening in real-time: Alaine's voice is refreshing, funny, and real. Her observations of the world, as well as those who inhabit her tiny section of it, are where this story shines most.
I only wish there had been more of that within these pages; so much time (too much in my opinion) is spent attempting to tell the story via use of other media/detailing the history of the aforementioned curse.
Alaine's voice is the star of this story but in giving it a backseat to the above elements--elements which, in many ways, made little sense and, ultimately, didn't feel as necessary--took away from my ability to truly enjoy the voice of this amazing character.
Perhaps that will be an issue with just me but it definitely influenced my decision to give it a lower rating than I otherwise might have.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and hope to see more work from the Moulite sisters.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced eGalley of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine. Opinions are my own and were not influenced by receipt of the author's work.
I wasn't particularly interested in the use of a family curse as the means through which Alaine attempts to reconnect with her estranged mother. It was convoluted and, at times, confusing;while I can understand why the Moulite sisters chose to use it as a plot device, it wasn't necessary and took away from Alaine's voice--which, to be honest, was the best part of the book.
Alaine is the only child of immigrant parents. Her mother is a famous journalist and her father is a well-respected therapist within the Miami community. Her parents are long-divorced but have found a way--or so they believe--to successfully co-parent their only child. However, after an embarrassing incident at Alaine's prep school puts her at-risk of derailing her academic career, they decide to send her to Haiti--hoping she'll get her act together and find some humility in the process.
The story is at its best when things are happening in real-time: Alaine's voice is refreshing, funny, and real. Her observations of the world, as well as those who inhabit her tiny section of it, are where this story shines most.
I only wish there had been more of that within these pages; so much time (too much in my opinion) is spent attempting to tell the story via use of other media/detailing the history of the aforementioned curse.
Alaine's voice is the star of this story but in giving it a backseat to the above elements--elements which, in many ways, made little sense and, ultimately, didn't feel as necessary--took away from my ability to truly enjoy the voice of this amazing character.
Perhaps that will be an issue with just me but it definitely influenced my decision to give it a lower rating than I otherwise might have.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and hope to see more work from the Moulite sisters.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced eGalley of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine. Opinions are my own and were not influenced by receipt of the author's work.
3.5 stars - please seek out reviews by voices similar to the author.
This is very YA fiction. There’s a lot of things that I realized at the end didn’t get fleshed out. Was there a romance? Was it mystical? Or was it a story about a girl making waves at school, dealing with a parental illness and going to Haiti for the first time? Maybe all of that. It’s a fun adventure. The epistolary style is one I love. The tweets and some of the format of things were probably better set up for print readers. It’s a very right now book, a lot of slang and technology references. An enjoyable adventure with a girl in Haiti.
This is very YA fiction. There’s a lot of things that I realized at the end didn’t get fleshed out. Was there a romance? Was it mystical? Or was it a story about a girl making waves at school, dealing with a parental illness and going to Haiti for the first time? Maybe all of that. It’s a fun adventure. The epistolary style is one I love. The tweets and some of the format of things were probably better set up for print readers. It’s a very right now book, a lot of slang and technology references. An enjoyable adventure with a girl in Haiti.
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
2.5 stars
DNF @ 20%
I went into this one, so excited. I like mixed media books and love how they can be done. I do like how this one incorporates texts, comments, blog posts, articles, and diary entries and I think mostly it was done well. I'd love to see how it is done in the finished copy.
The unfortunate thing is, I was bored reading this. While Alaine is a fun character and one I think many people will like, I needed more from the story by this point. Which is a weird thing to state since I can see where the story is going. At times it felt like the story was being bogged down with tons of information or that there were multiple lines the story was potentially going to take. I think the way it is put together also made it seem slow, which might be why I lost interest-- yet clearly the days are moving and things are happening, so I'm not entirely sure why I'm feeling the way I am.
So, at this point I have to call it quits with this novel-- it just isn't for me. BUT, it is one I do recommend and probably will recommend to people at the library. Like I said, Alaine is a fun character and perhaps the finished version will be easier to read, making it a more enjoyable experience. I also think people who like contemporaries and more character-driven plots will enjoy this one.
2.5 stars
DNF @ 20%
I went into this one, so excited. I like mixed media books and love how they can be done. I do like how this one incorporates texts, comments, blog posts, articles, and diary entries and I think mostly it was done well. I'd love to see how it is done in the finished copy.
The unfortunate thing is, I was bored reading this. While Alaine is a fun character and one I think many people will like, I needed more from the story by this point. Which is a weird thing to state since I can see where the story is going. At times it felt like the story was being bogged down with tons of information or that there were multiple lines the story was potentially going to take. I think the way it is put together also made it seem slow, which might be why I lost interest-- yet clearly the days are moving and things are happening, so I'm not entirely sure why I'm feeling the way I am.
So, at this point I have to call it quits with this novel-- it just isn't for me. BUT, it is one I do recommend and probably will recommend to people at the library. Like I said, Alaine is a fun character and perhaps the finished version will be easier to read, making it a more enjoyable experience. I also think people who like contemporaries and more character-driven plots will enjoy this one.
This book was alright. The story is definitely unique. It's just so long with so little character development. I disliked all the emails/blogs/lists/chats/texts. I just personally feel like those interrupt the story. The love story was weak- all of a sudden she liked him and then nothing... just fizzled. The surprise death lasted all of like one chapter- it's like Alaine immediately got over it and felt almost no guilt. All of the characters are terrible, selfish people.
The interesting story was hidden behind several history lessons that lost me. If it was just Alaine's story then I might've finished it.
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m quickly beginning to see a pattern in the books I thoroughly enjoy - a black woman lead who has layered character, some historical context, a family focus, and a sprinkle (or more) of some amore. This did it for me. Alaine was snarky and hilarious while deeply committed to her family in ways that even surprised her. I loved connecting to the narrative of a first-gen American with family based in the Caribbean. The story was so complex in ways that kept you swimming through pages and also prompting me to pause and reflect. I especially loved how the authors (are sisters which blew my mind but I digress — but really another win for me because I love sister love) told the story through Alaine’s letters and journals. The way they intertwined history as part of Alaine’s family heritage was done especially well. Can’t wait to read more from this fearless writing team.
Alaine might be one of my favorite characters this year. I loved her personality - sassy, questioning, deeply caring. She's a teenager, so she hasn't figured out how to best express her feelings yet (despite having a psychologist father), but she acts according to what she believes in and cares about. I loved watching her makes mistakes and start to learn that life does not always go to plan, people are not always who you think they are, and there are things that are outside human control. This is about a girl who has some issues connecting with both of her parents, for different reasons, and how those relationships grow as she grows. Did I mention Alaine is hilarious? I was delighted - I love a book with both depth and humor, and when I get to learn about a different culture, I'm sold.
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book does a great job of showing how complex relationships between family members can be. It is written beautifully and capture’s Haiti in and honest and loving light, like the way a slightly distant family member might.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Sexual assault, Dementia